Page 16 of Innocent Salvation

No, her relationship with Henri was unique but he’d loved her, and she’d loved him fiercely and she missed him every day, but she’d never want the life she’d had for her own kids—assuming it ever happened. Her current job was hardly conducive to meeting the man of her dreams and falling in love.

Looking out the window at the swing set in the back garden, her mind went to Sebastian Alexander. He was a contradiction and a puzzle, and she found herself wanting to figure him out and make sure his pieces went together as they should, but she couldn’t help thinking she was missing a huge part of the puzzle.

He was moody and austere, but she’d also seen the flashes of heat in his eyes when he looked at her that burned her skin. He was arrogant and cold but with Fleur, he was warm and loving, patient and indulgent. Yet she knew from her few conversations with him that he wouldn’t tolerate anything but the best.

Her ringing phone brought her out of her thoughts, and she smiled as she glanced at the screen and saw Reaper’s name. He was one of her favourite people, always smiling and friendly and she imagined he was what having a big brother would feel like.

“Hey, Reap.”

“Morning, baby girl.”

He’d called her that since the day they met and it had annoyed her at first but now she saw it for what it was, a term of affection. Not in a sexual way, neither of them felt that way, because he was the brother she never had, and he said she reminded him of his sister. Once sex was taken out of the equation their relationship and the term baby girl hadn’t bothered her in the least.

“So, a bit of bad news.”

Snow continued watching Fleur, a smile creasing her face as she giggled at something unseen to her. She moved further across the room to look out of the front window, the long expanse of the playroom going from the front to the back of the house, giving her a clear view. She glanced across the road watching for nothing in particular and yet everything at the same time. It was how she saw things most others missed. She watched people and how they interacted and noticed the small things. Like the child who kicked her shoe off as she sat in the pushchair outside the shop on the corner, or the young man who tossed a crumpled-up piece of paper on the ground in anger as he watched a woman in a red coat walk away from him.

“Tell me.”

“Margaret Tanner was found murdered in the judge’s chambers this morning. She was stabbed three times.”

Her attention now fully on the conversation she angled her body away from the window. “Oh no! She was really sweet the few times we spoke. Do we know who or why yet?”

“No, but I’m working on it. From what we know, she was in early as she always is, and her attacker slipped past the guard who was asleep.”

“Asleep?”

“He should have retired years ago, but I think they kept him on out of pity. He lost his wife and felt lost so Judge Alexander had him moved to the night shift which was known to be quiet.”

“Poor Sebastian, he must feel awful.”

“Yeah, not as awful as Margaret Tanner.”

Snow chewed her fingernail as she ran through her thoughts and feelings about this new development. She pushed away, her sudden sympathy for a man she’d been fully prepared to hate but found herself more confused by with every moment they shared. “Was anything taken?”

“A laptop from the judge’s desk. The rest was trashed. It didn’t look like anything else was missing, but only he’d really know that.”

“You want me to find out?”

“I think we need to find out exactly what he’s up to or involved with. Someone was looking for something today and they killed the person who got in the way of that.”

“You think Fleur is in danger?”

The team had been briefed on her relationship with Fleur and to Dominique Dupont. Secrets among Shadow operatives weren’t permitted if it affected the job and being caught lying was grounds for instant dismissal.

“I think it would be wise to move up the timeline and find what we need. I also called Bás, and he’s sending Titan and Bein down as backup to watch your six.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to stay on the judge, see if I can figure anything out.”

“Okay. Keep me posted.”

“Will do, baby girl, and stay safe. Don’t go falling in love with the judge.”

Snow snorted. “Hardly, he hates my guts most of the time and when he isn’t glaring at me, he ignores me.”

Snow didn’t mention the sexual tension, it was hardly relevant and meant nothing to anyone if nobody acted on it.